1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an exerciser, more particularly to an exerciser which provides combined cycling and stepping exercise functions and which is capable of being converted to operate in one of cycling and stepping exercise modes.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional cycling exerciser 10 which mainly includes a base frame 11 mounted with a resistance wheel 12 that is coupled to a drive wheel 13 for providing resistance to rotation of the drive wheel 13. The drive wheel 13 has a pair of crank arms 14 on opposite lateral sides thereof. The base frame 11 has an upright post 15 at a front end thereof. A pair of horizontal pivot shafts 16 project laterally from the upright post 15, and are connected pivotally to a pair of upright linking rods 17 which have lower ends connected pivotally to front ends of a pair of pedals 18 that are disposed on opposite lateral sides of the base frame 11. The pedals 18 are coupled to the crank arms 14, respectively, for propelling rotation of the drive wheel 13. However, the exerciser 10 can only perform a regular cycling exercise mode, and only exercises the knees and the ankles of the user.
The prior art exerciser shown in FIG. 1 is disclosed in the FIG. 4 embodiment of U.S. Pat. No. 5,383,829, issued Jan. 24, 1995 (see also Reexamination Certificate issued Mar. 5, 2002). The '829 patent as reexamined describes the dual crank arm mechanism for mounting of the foot links or pedal members (pedals 18 of FIG. 1 herein) which achieves the elliptical movement that is such as “to direct a second end of each foot link along a preselected, reciprocating path of travel as the first end of said foot link travels along said arcuate path; so that when said exercise device is in use, and when the second end of one of said foot links travels from a point at a rearward end of said reciprocating path, forward along said path, the heel portion of a user's foot associated therewith initially rises at a faster rate than the toe portion, and when the second end of said foot link travels rearward along said reciprocating path of travel from a forward end thereof, the heel portion of the user's foot initially lowers at a faster rate than the toe portion.”
The same inventor of the '829 patent was granted a related U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,473, issued May 21, 1996, which uses the same language to describe the elliptical movement of the foot links or pedal members of the disclosed elliptical exerciser which has a different mounting arrangement for the second end of the foot links or pedal members. In the '473 patent exerciser, the connection of the second end of each foot link or pedal member directs it along a closed curved path rather than a reciprocating path. It is to be appreciated that the term “cycling” as used herein refers to an “elliptical cycling” or “elliptical” mode of operation as identified in the '829 and '473 patents noted above.